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Witches Mark

Rank #5 Austin, TX Metal / Traditional Heavy Metal / Power...

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About

Members: Robb Bockman - Vocals & Lead Guitar, Robert Williams - Lead Guitar & Keyboards, Andy Gonzales - Bass, Scott Palmer - Drums

Label: Heaven and Hell Records

Bio: Witches Mark was cast in the unholy funeral fog circa Autumn 2005. A dark vision encompassing the purest remnants of true heavy metal, married unto trad, speed, power, thrash, death, black and doom bared witness to the mark of the witch.

To journey along the path of the damned, the initial offe... See Full Bio

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Status

Witches Mark has a show on 05/26/2012 at 08:00 PM @ The Kraken ... in Seattle, WASHI http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/113105697 #concert

Press

“I saw someone comparing this CD to bands like METAL CHURCH and I think that is a rather good description. They play old-school Heavy Metal, but there are influences from Thrash and a dash of more extreme genres, as well. The drumming is very speedy at times, which gives the album a rough edge. Otherwise, the music goes on somewhere between mid-tempo and high tempo. Over this fairly distorted riffing is laid out and on the top we have vocals that are sometimes given a certain echo. This EP is enjoyable throughout and the band never lacks ideas. ”

— Adam, Metal Observer

“Die beiden Gitarristen Robert Williams und Robb Bockman spielen einwandfrei nach vorne, treiben ihren Sänger immer zu mehr Leistung an. Im Leadbereich ist kein Leistungsabfall zu erkennen, die Burschen zocken einen ordentlichen Stiefel vom Leder. Die Tasten werden von Sandra Torres bedient, dienen meist der Untermalung und verleihen dem Sound mehr Fülle und eine majestätische Erhabenheit. "Ethereal" könnte durch den mehrstimmigen Gesang auch auf Borknagars The Archaic Course sein verdientes Platzerl finden. Hat dazu im Sechssaitenmetier viele Zitate aus dem US Metal der Marke Helstar im Angebot, so dass Langeweile zu keiner Zeit aufkommt.”

— Siebi, HeavyHardes.de

“Directo, abrasivo, contundente y épico. Estos cuatro adjetivos podrían resumir el trabajo de los americanos en este primer intento de hacerse mayores dentro del agradable revival generalizado por el que está pasando actualmente el heavy metal más clásico, el que se hizo con el trono allá por la década de 1980 y que ahora vuelve a llenar los escenarios de cuero taladrado de tachuelas, parches y cinturones de balas. WITCHES MARK se apuntan al carro, pero lo hacen de una forma tan irregular e indefinida como interesante y personal. Un grupo no del todo convencional para curiosos y descubridores ávidos de nueva carnaza con referencias en la vieja usanza. ”

— Daniel Velasco Alonso, Metal-Cry.com

“WITCHES MARK können schon einmal ganz bombastisch, vernachlässigen jedoch niemals die metallische Grundhärte. Die Melodien dieser Band sind sehr emotionsgeladen und dramatisch, voller Theatralik und großer Kraft. Sie haben eine eingängige Art, obschon man sie erst für sich entdecken muss, Note für Note. Sie sind schön, betörend schön zumeist. WITCHES MARK spielen in der Tradition großer Bands, eine große Musik. Im Grunde kann man sie Freunden von HANKER, JAG PANZER und solchen Acts empfehlen, aber sie bringen wirklich eine Menge Ideen aus ihrem persönlichen Fundus ein.”

— Sir Lord Doom, Metal-District.de

“The record starts with promise on a blazing straight power metal number, “Salem’s Fire.” It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it’s tight and well done. It was definitely enough to capture my attention. The sound becomes a bit more ambitious on “Cauldron Born,” which opens with a thrashy guitar riff before moving to some harmonized vocals that are reminiscent of Blind Guardian. There’s also a bit of Iron Maiden-inspired sound right before the chorus.”

— Fred Phillips, Teeth Of The Divine

“Witches Mark play an interesting hybrid of old school traditional/heavy metal mixed with traces of speed metal and even throw in some atmospheres common to doom. They cite bands like Griffin and Omen as influences, and there is no doubt that sonically, A GRIM APPARITION sounds so early 80s that you wonder if the EP was recorded on 16-track and pressed on vinyl. Everything from the guitar tone to the mixing, production and engineering smacks of a band consciously harkening back to what is nebulously termed ‘old school’. And it works, it really does. There’s much nostalgia value to be mined from such an organic loose sound, especially when everything nowadays is tight, metronomic and compressed to buggery.”

— Hanntu, Metal-Rules.com

“Witches Mark are advertised as playing traditional Heavy Metal, and that's not too far off the mark. The basics are there, but the delivery is definitely more modern and with some Power Metal leanings. The sound here is near crystal clear, and the first song is especially fast and somewhat heavy, feeling almost out of control at times. ”

— Michel Renaud, Metal Crypt

“This band hails from Texas and I do have a fondness for that state for a variety of reasons. The most important of which is that Extreme Metal bands from Texas kick ass and take names. They’re the Terry Funks of the Metal world. They’re bloodied, scarred, but unbowed to anyone. According to the label’s bio of them their sound is reminiscent of the “glory days of Metal Massacre” compilations. Ironically I was listening to a bunch of old Metal Massacre compilation LPs at a friend’s house not too long ago. WITCHES MARK does sound like one of the more obscure bands that appeared on those LPs but with modern production. ”

— Mr. Wolf, Scumfeast Metal Fanzine

“Witches Mark stay true to the traditional Heavy Metal brought by the NWOBHM. This band is definitely a classic blend of raw riffs and vocals that transcend the new screams and growls that are so common among bands today. Witches Mark reminds you of a time when the vocalist actually sang the lyrics and it was harder to find somebody that could sing. Think early Mercyful Fate, but without the falsetto. This disc is on the verge of Doom with a faster tempo. "Cauldron Born" is a classic Heavy Metal song with all the markings of the aforementioned wave's traits. ”

— Rusty Conner, Lonestar Metal Mag

“Their greater achievement is that they have manage to find the perfect balance between old and modern making them sound fresh and at the same time loyal to the old tradition of heavy/power metal. Their play is hard set and the sound that comes to our ears is very solid. Yes, this is pure metal. As for the vocals, they are impressive and have an intense metal colour. I would say that they are something between Blind Guardian and Jag Panzer with some references to the “irony” of King Diamond. To return to my starting quote I would say that all of you the lovers of traditional heavy metal are having the opportunity to get to known to a band with great perspectives which surely will get a great name in the upcoming years.”

— Panthro, Heavy Metal Cosmos

“Witches Mark’ s debut EP, A Grim Apparition, features the sort of kickass cover art that would have had me buying it blind back in the day. Fortunately, the music contained therein avoids the cursed blind-buyer’s remorse. Fitting comfortably alongside like-minded acts such as Pharaoh, Witches Mark play reverent traditional metal that is loaded with heaps of speed, thrash and early power metal. The Texas sextet’s sound reminds of Omen and Helstar, and occasionally conjures the earliest Hammers of Misfortune and even a touch of Dream Theater’s When Dream and Day Unite. Add some doom here, a little black metal flavor there, and a dash of melodic death, and it’s clear that, despite their devotion to the classic metal ethos, this is a band unconcerned with boundaries (just check out all that’s going on in the title track).”

— John Ray, MetalReview.com

“What you get with A Grim Apparition are blood, sweat, and tear-drenched ghosts soaked in mid-80's nostalgia. Yes, the current thrust of no-frills heavy metal continues to bubble and toil beneath the surface of this nation's more popular groove-core exports, but for the discerning headbanger that's a good thing, as there seems to be no limit to the supply of these bands, all offering up their individual takes on our fathers' stamp in the heavy metal history books.”

— Raising Iron, Maximum Metal

“Fans of the new breed of traditional metal bands (think Wolf, Pharaoh, Icarus Witch, Widow, et al) should absolutely check out A Grim Apparition. There's just this great aura of grim heaviness, power and drama that few bands of this generation seem to understand. It's the kind of mentality and earnest devotion to the music that made the classic Metal Massacre-era bands strap on their spiked gauntlets and slay their metaphoric (and some not-so-metaphoric) dragons while the L.A. party rockers were primping in front of the mirror. It's just so damned...metal. Needless to say, A Grim Apparition definitely whets the appetite for a full-length Witches Mark album, which hopefully will not be too long in coming. ”

— Justin Gaines, Hard Rock Haven

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2012
May 26

The Kraken
Seattle, WA, US | 8:00pm
The Kraken
Seattle, WA, US
Sat May 26, 2012 8:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
2012
May 26

The Kraken Bar & Lounge
Seattle, WASHI, US | 8:00pm
The Kraken Bar & Lounge
Seattle, WASHI, US
Sat May 26, 2012 8:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

Masters of misanthropic Black Metal Panzergod {Portland} and Heaven and Hell recording artists Witches Mark {Austin} with special guests Sacrament Ov Impurity {Mt. Vernon} and Midnight Idols {Seattle} 5 Bux at the door +21
2012
May 25

East End
Portland, OR, US | 9:00pm
East End
Portland, OR, US
Fri May 25, 2012 9:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets